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NETS launches new platform for cashless payment
By Dylan loh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 February 2010 1931 hrs
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SINGAPORE : E-payment services provider NETS hopes to make cashless payments more accessible with the launch of a new service.
Called iNETS, it is supposed to offer a one-stop platform for consumers to pay bills and make purchases. To beat the crowd, you can now choose cinema seats on your mobile phone. A downloaded application based on the iNETS platform lets you do that, and more.
The service is free but normal data charges apply.
Consumers get to choose what they think is the most convenient way for them to make payments for bills or even things like movie tickets. This can be through a mobile phone, an iNETs kiosk, or even in the future, ATM machines and set-top boxes.
"If today I have to pay my credit card bill and I'm in Singapore, I may walk to a kiosk and pay the bill. But next month, I might be overseas in China, and I realised it's due and if I don't pay, I'll have to pay a fine, so I can just pick up my mobile (phone) and pay the bills," said Suman Balani, assistant chief executive, NETS.
NETS said to make payments secure, users have a maximum of three tries to key in a PIN number whenever the service is used. But would the public take it up? "Yes I would, because I'm hardly at home. I'm always outside. So I think it would be good," said one member of the public.
"It depends how often it can be used, and what are the facilities that they offer," said another. "Probably not; I'm used to the same old method," said another person on the street.
NETS is looking at getting more merchants to use the system. Currently, companies like SingTel, StarHub, Cathay Cineplexes and utilities services provider SP Services are tapping on the platform. - CNA /ls
